Sheet material attachment system

ABSTRACT

A sheet material attachment system including at least one longitudinal beam having a web, and at least one flange having first and second opposite sides, the web extending from the flange second side. A sheet material attachment element overlies the flange first side, the sheet material attachment element having a hardness which is less than the hardness of the flange. The sheet material attachment element is attached to the beam by a fastener, the fastener being substantially U-shaped and having a first leg which engages a side of the sheet material attachment element and a second leg which engages the flange second side. A piece of sheet material is anchored to the sheet material attachment element.

[0001] Continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/273,381, filed Mar. 22, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 08/884,717, filed Jun. 30, 1997, now U.S.Pat. No. 5,927,036.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] The invention relates generally to building construction and moreparticularly floor joist systems and systems for the attachment of sheetmaterial (e.g., subflooring, and ceiling and wall panels) in buildingconstruction, especially in residential construction.

[0004] 2. Background Art

[0005] Floor joists used in residential and some smaller commercialbuilding construction are typically made of wooden 2 inch by 10 inchplanks or beams of engineered wood having an I shaped cross section witha 2 inch wide flange and a 10 inch height which extend longitudinallybetween opposite side walls of a house or its foundation, resting on thetop surfaces thereof, providing support for the floor of each individualbuilding story. In residential construction, the subfloor adjacent thejoists is usually ¾ inch thick wood plyboard or wooden particle board.Generally, wooden joists are limited in their length or span to about 14or 16 feet, at which point they must be supported from beneath, usuallyby an intermediate load bearing wall or a girder (or header) extendingin directions perpendicular to the joists, the girder itself perhapspartially supported by a support post or column and/or the side wallsbetween which the girder extends. The girder may be comprised of aplurality of 2 inch by 12 inch planks disposed side by side to provideadditional thickness or may be an engineered wood beam or steel I beam.Other types of joists and/or girders used in larger commercialbuildings, which often have poured concrete floors, include steel oriron I beams which have integrated flanges and webs or which areassembled from components, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 669,639(Hessel et al.), 4,151,694 (Sriberg et al.) and 3,800,490 (Conte).Concrete floors and metal joist systems are not generally used forresidential construction due to the higher costs involved and their notbeing readily adapted to conventional housing designs.

[0006] A plurality of parallel floor joists laid out across the areabounded by the supporting side walls provides a series of generallycoplanar surfaces to which the subfloor is attached, usually byadhesives and nails or screws. The attachment of the subfloor to thetopmost surfaces of the joists prevents the joists from moving, althoughit is common to provide braces therebetween to stabilize them. Thejoists and girders are oriented so as to expose their maximum bendingmoments against the loading of the above floor; this normally entailssetting the joists on the side walls in an upright manner upon one oftheir shorter rectangular sides or their I beam flanges, the oppositeshort rectangular side or I beam flange abutting the lower surface ofthe supported floor. A pocket or recess provided in the girder bearingside wall provides a surface upon which the girder rests, the surfacedisposed a distance below the top of the side wall somewhat equivalentto the height of the girder. This arrangement allows the bottommostsurface of the joist to rest on the top surface of the side wall and thegirder. Disposing the girder as such and disposing the joists thereupon,however, compromises the ceiling height of the below room at leastpartially or otherwise forces the floor of the above room to be higher.Furthermore, the below room ceiling height may be further compromised,at least locally, by pipes, wiring or ventilation ducts routed below thegirder.

[0007] Joists are usually transversely spaced in a parallel fashion at afixed distance from each other in accordance with the weight bearingcharacteristics of the materials used and the designed building loadrequirements. Typically, in residential construction, wooden joists ofeither the plank or engineered beam variety are spaced 16 inches oncenter. Wooden plank and engineered wood floor joists are maintained intheir upright positions, i.e., kept from falling over, and their spacingrelative to one another by lateral braces which do not interface thelower surface of the floor or support or help distribute its weight.Steel I beam type floor joists such as used in commercial buildingconstruction may likewise be maintained in position by bracesinterconnected with the webs thereof, although the wide bottom flange ofmost steel I beams is sufficient to prevent its inadvertently fallingover.

[0008] Wooden floor joists of the plank or engineered beam variety aregenerally limited to 14 or 16 foot spans between supports and 16 inch oncenter spacing relative to one another, requiring many joists andsupporting girders be provided in a house of conventional size anddesign. Joists thus comprise an appreciable portion of the cost ofrequired building material, particularly if the more expensiveengineered wood beams are used. As a further result, wooden plank orengineered beam floor joist systems are rather expensive in terms oflabor because of the quantity of joists required to be installed.Moreover, wooden plank joists may be irregular, undesirably havingcrowns, or cupping, sagging or bowing. Often, significant effort andcost are required to correct these conditions during construction, or tocorrect their effects after the building is completed. Engineered woodbeam joists resolve many of these issues, but are rather more expensivethan plank joists and have no appreciably greater load bearingcapability.

[0009] Wooden planks, being lumber, are considered to be commodities,and thus their cost is greatly influenced by fluctuating market prices,which can make estimating future building costs more difficult.Engineered wood beams, comprised to a great extent of wood chips andmore labor intensive to produce, are not so readily influenced, althoughthey are generally more expensive.

[0010] There is a need for a floor joist system which is relativelystronger and less labor intensive than previous systems employing woodenplank or engineered wood beam joists, provides a consistently flatflooring surface, more efficiently uses vertical space, and is notgreatly influenced by commodity market price fluctuations. Further,there is a need for a floor joist system to which subflooring is quicklyattached with customary fastening means, such as, for example, by nails,particularly nails which are driven through the flooring and into thefloor joists pneumatically.

[0011] In providing such a floor joist system, there is a need toaccommodate the quick and easy attachment of traditional ceiling panelmaterials to the overhead structure provided by that floor joist system.Typically, ceiling panels, which may be, for example, prefabricatedplaster wall board, abuttingly underlie the bottom edges or flanges ofconventional wooden plank or engineered beam floor joists, respectively,and are attached thereto by means of screws driven through the wallboard and into the plank or engineered beam. It is therefore desirablethat a ceiling panel attachment system be provided by which conventionalmethods, tools and fasteners may continue to be used in attaching theceiling panels to the overhead structure.

[0012] Wall panels, both interior and exterior, are conventionallynailed or screwed, as appropriate, into vertically-oriented,longitudinal wooden studs, usually of 2 inch by 4 inch or 6 inch sizeand spaced 16 inches on center. Like wooden plank floor joists, woodenstuds are considered to be commodities, and thus their cost is greatlyinfluenced by fluctuating market prices. Typical interior wall panelsinclude plaster wall board or sheets of wooden paneling; exterior wallpanels typically include wooden plyboard or particle board later coveredby siding. Under some circumstances, for example where a high load mustbe carried by a wall or it is preferable to have fewer studs, it may bedesirable to use steel I beam studs in lieu of the conventionalarrangement of two inch by four inch or six inch wooden studs. In suchcircumstances, it is preferable to attach the wall panels to the steelstuds in a conventional manner. Thus, a wall panel attachment systemwhich facilitates the attachment of interior or exterior wall panels towalls including steel I beam studs, using conventional methods, toolsand fasteners, and which is not greatly influenced by commodity marketprices, is desirable.

[0013] Further, it is well-known to support overhead beams, girders orfloor joists with support columns or pillars extending between the floorand ceiling or other overhead structure of the below room (e.g., thebasement), in which the columns or pillars are located. Often, thesecolumns or pillars are in the form of steel I beams. Often, too, it isdesirable to enclose them using wall panel material, thereby providingthe room with a more finished appearance. A system for easily andquickly attaching wall panel material to I beam columns or pillars,using conventional tools and fasteners, would also be desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention provides a floor joist system preferablymade of commercially available heavy gauge steel and having girders andinterconnected joists which may have an I shaped cross section. The Ibeam girders are preferably castellated, providing a high bending momentand large web openings, and have vertical slots formed in their websections. The girders extend between opposing side walls of a buildingor the foundation thereof, the ends of the girders supported by the sidewalls. Much stronger than wooden plank or engineered wood beam girdersof comparable height, castellated beam girders may span greaterdistances without requiring intermediate underlying support betweenoutside walls, thus requiring relatively fewer intermediate supportcolumns. In accordance with the present invention, steel I beam joistshaving tongues formed and extending from the web sections thereof aredisposed perpendicularly and equidistantly along each side of a girder,the tongues of each equidistant pair of joists extending into a commonvertical slot formed in the girder web and overlapping each othertherein. These overlapping pairs of tongues may be interconnected usingcompliant pins on each side of the girder web or otherwise retained inoverlapping relation to each other to maintain their position duringassembly of the floor joist system. The interconnection of joists andcross beams continues in this manner to provide a complete floor joistsystem across the area to be floored. The subfloor is secured to theupper surface of the upper girder and joist flanges by, for example,adhesives and/or drill point screws.

[0015] The I beam joists of the present invention provide much greaterbending resistance than wooden plank or engineered wood beam joists, andthus may be longer and spaced farther apart. In conventional residentialconstruction of a given design using a ¾ inch subfloor, 8 inch tall Ibeam joists according to the present invention may span 20 feet betweenthe side wall and/or the girders and be spaced 24 inches on center,compared to 14 to 16 foot spans and 16 inch on center spacing requiredof wooden 2 inch by 10 inch plank joists or 10 inch tall engineered woodbeams. The joists of the present invention may be spaced 32 inches oncenter where a less common ⅞ inch thick subfloor is used. Moreover, theI beam joists of the present invention do not exhibit irregularitiessuch as crowns, cupping, sagging or bowing, as are common in woodenplank joists and which often require time consuming correction duringconstruction or may cause undesirable related effects thereafter.

[0016] The steel joists and girders of the inventive floor joist systemmay be made completely of recyclable material and are themselvescompletely recyclable. Furthermore, the joists and girders of thepresent invention will not support a flame, providing a furtheradvantage over wooden floor joist systems.

[0017] The girders and joists of the present invention have coplanarupper flange surfaces, thus the load of the floor is directly supportedalong two directions rather than only one, thereby providing a firmerfloor with its weight better distributed among its supporting members. Afurther advantage of the inventive floor joist system is that the heightof the joist is contained within the height required for the girder andlarge openings are provided in the girder web which extend well belowthe bottom-most surface of the joist to better accommodate the routingof pipes, wiring, ventilation ducts and so forth above the bottom-mostsurface of the girders. Thus, the present invention provides a morevertically compact floor joist system than can be achieved by stackingthe joists upon the girders, as previous floor joist systems require,thus allowing comparatively greater ceiling heights in rooms above orbelow the joists.

[0018] Normally, assembly of the floor joist system of the presentinvention would require only the simplest of hand tools forinstallation, including bending the compliant interconnecting pin and,in some cases, for drilling and/or bolting the spliced ends of abuttinggirders together. Furthermore, compared to wooden plank joists, thecomponents of the inventive joist system are not so greatly influencedby commodity market prices and thus provide for more easily estimatedconstruction costs.

[0019] The present invention provides a floor joist system comprising atleast one girder having an upper flange surface and a web with verticalslots located therein, the girder supported at opposite ends, aplurality of joists having an upper flange surface and at least onetongue, two of the joist tongues being inserted into each girder slotfrom opposite sides of the girder web to form an overlappingrelationship therein, each joist supported at opposite ends, the upperflange surfaces of the girder and joists being coplanar, and flooringattached to the girder and joist upper flange surfaces.

[0020] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a floorjoist system which may be installed using conventional carpenters' toolsfor attaching the subflooring to the joists and girders, and which mayor may not include the above-described inventive aspects. Suchconventional tools may include pneumatic nail guns, the use of which isexpected to further reduce the installation labor cost, as well as thecost of the attaching fasteners. Viz., the present invention alsoprovides a floor joist system including at least one girder having anupper surface and a plurality of joists interconnected with the girder,each joist also having an upper surface, the upper surfaces of thegirder and the joist being substantially coplanar. A plurality ofindividual flooring attachment elements are attached to the uppersurfaces of the girder and joists. The flooring attachment elements havea hardness which is less than the hardness of both the girder and thejoists, and are substantially incompressible to provide firm support tothe overlying subfloor and fix the distance between the opposed surfacesof the subfloor and girder and joists. Flooring is supported by theupper surfaces of the girder and joists through their respectiveflooring attachment elements, and the flooring is attached to theflooring attachment elements.

[0021] In accordance with the present invention, subflooring, roofdecking, or wall or ceiling panels may be respectively attached to metalI beam floor joists, studs or overhead structures using conventionalmethods, tools and fasteners. One embodiment of a sheet materialattachment system in accordance with the present invention also providesa means for encasing I beam columns or pillars with wall panel materialsto provide the room in which they are located with a more finishedappearance.

[0022] The present invention provides a sheet material attachment systemincluding at least one longitudinal beam having a web, and at least oneflange having first and second opposite sides, the web extending fromthe flange second side. A sheet material attachment element overlies theflange first side, the sheet material attachment element having ahardness which is less than the hardness of the flange. The sheetmaterial attachment element is attached to the beam by a fastener, thefastener being substantially U-shaped and having a first leg whichengages a side of the sheet material attachment element and a second legwhich engages the flange second side. The system also includes a pieceof sheet material being anchored to the sheet material attachmentelement.

[0023] The sheet material attachment elements are also substantiallyincompressible, and therefore provide firm support for the overlyingsheet material anchored thereto, and fix the distance between theopposed surfaces of the sheet material and the beam.

[0024] The present invention also provides a ceiling panel attachmentsystem including a plurality of nonvertical beams each having a lowersurface, the beam lower surfaces being substantially coplanar. Aplurality of individual ceiling panel attachment elements is attached tothe beam lower surfaces, the ceiling panel attachment elements having ahardness which is less than the hardness of the beam lower surfaces. Atleast one ceiling panel is suspended from the beams through theirrespective ceiling panel attachment elements, the ceiling panel beinganchored to the ceiling attachment elements.

[0025] The present invention also provides a wall panel attachmentsystem including a least one nonhorizontal beam having a surface, atleast one wall panel attachment element attached to the beam surface,the wall panel attachment element having a hardness which is less thanthe hardness of the beam surface, and at least one wall panel supportedby the beam through its wall panel attachment element, the wall panelbeing anchored to the wall panel attachment element. The beam may be awall stud or a column.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above mentioned and other features and objects of thisinvention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparentand the invention itself will be better understood by reference to thefollowing description of embodiments of the invention taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0027]FIG. 1 is an exploded view from below illustrating theinterconnection of a pair of opposed joists to a girder according to afirst embodiment of the present invention;

[0028]FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the assembled joistsand girder of FIG. 1;

[0029] FIGS. 3A-3C are fragmentary sectional side views of the assembledgirder and joist along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the installationsequence of the interconnecting pin of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0030]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing a splice connecting twoabutting girder ends;

[0031]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view from below of a floorjoist system according to the first embodiment of the present inventionand the supported floor;

[0032]FIG. 6A is a fragmentary sectional side view of the floor joistsystem according to the first embodiment of the present invention alongline 6-6 of FIG. 5, showing a supporting side wall and intermediatecolumn;

[0033]FIG. 6B is a fragmentary sectional side view of the floor joistsystem of FIG. 6A, taken along a line parallel to and to the right ofline 6-6 of FIG. 5;

[0034]FIG. 7A is a perspective view from above of a joist according to afirst embodiment of the present invention and its supporting side wall,showing one method of anchoring the joist end to the side wall;

[0035]FIG. 7B is a perspective view from above showing an alternative tothe method of anchoring the joist end to the side wall shown in FIG. 7A;

[0036]FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 6B;

[0037]FIG. 9 is a plan view of the floor joist system according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention, showing a portion of thefloor;

[0038]FIG. 10 is a sectional end view of a floor joist according to asecond embodiment of the present invention, showing flooring attachedthereto;

[0039]FIG. 11A is a plan view of a U-shaped fastener for use with thefloor joist of FIG. 10;

[0040]FIG. 11B is a side view of the fastener of FIG. 11A;

[0041]FIG. 11C is a perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 11A;

[0042]FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view from below of a floorjoist system according to the second embodiment of the present inventionand the supported floor;

[0043]FIG. 13A is a fragmentary sectional side view of the floor joistsystem according to the second embodiment of the present invention alongline 13-13 of FIG. 12, showing a supporting side wall and intermediatecolumn;

[0044]FIG. 13B is a fragmentary sectional side view of the floor joistsystem of FIG. 13A, taken along a line parallel to and to the right ofline 13-13 of FIG. 12;

[0045]FIG. 14 is a perspective view from above of a joist according to asecond embodiment of the present invention and its supporting side wall,showing one method of anchoring the joist end to the side wall;

[0046]FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view from below of a ceilingpanel attachment system according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention, shown as part of a floor joist system according to a secondembodiment of the present invention, or as part of a roof supportsystem;

[0047]FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the ceiling panel attachment systemof FIG. 15 along line 16-16;

[0048]FIG. 17 is a sectional vertical view of a first wall panelattachment system according to a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention; and

[0049]FIG. 18 is a sectional vertical view of a second wall panelattachment system according to a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0050] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views. Although the drawings representembodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarilyto scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to betterillustrate and explain the present invention. The exemplifications setout herein are not to be construed as limiting the scope of theinvention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustiveor limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the followingdetailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and describedso that others skilled in the art may utilize its teachings.

[0052] Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a floorjoist system according to a first embodiment of the present inventionprovides girder 20 which may be in the form of a castellated I beamhaving web 22 and upper and lower flanges 28 and 30, respectively. Web22 is formed of upper and lower web portions 24 and 26, respectively,which, when joined at a plurality of welded joints 34, provide aplurality of large openings 32. Located between adjacent openings 32 andrepetitively spaced at, for example, 24 inch increments along upper webportion 24 are formed vertical slots 36, which are cut through the webmaterial. The dimensions and location of slots 36 will be furtherdescribed below. Upper flange 28 has upper surface 29 and lower flange30 has lower surface 31. In an embodiment of a floor joist systemaccording to the present invention which is adapted to residentialconstruction of ordinary type, the distance between surfaces 29 and 31is approximately 12 inches. An example of a castellated beam of thisapproximate dimension, and into which slots 36 may be formed, isproduced by Castellite and designated CB1215.

[0053]FIG. 1 further shows that girder 20 is intersected by I beamjoists 38, each of which comprises web 40 and upper and lower flanges 42and 44, respectively. Upper flange 42 has upper surface 43 and lowerflange 44 has lower surface 45. The distance between surfaces 29 and 31of girder 20 is substantially greater that the distance between surfaces43 and 45 of joist 38. In an embodiment of a floor joist systemaccording to the present invention which is adapted to residentialconstruction of ordinary type, the distance between surfaces 43 and 45is approximately 8 inches. Formed and extending from web 40 at each endof joist 38 is tongue 46 having a height substantially that of web 40and equivalent thickness. Slot 36 is sized to slideably receive tongues46 of two joists 38 in an easily yet closely fitting manner, tongues 46entering slot 36 from opposite sides of girder web 22 and overlappingtherein.

[0054] As shown, four holes 48 arranged as two pairs of verticallyaligned holes may be provided in each tongue 46. As tongues 46 ofopposing joists are overlapped through slot 36, the leading pair ofvertically aligned holes 48 in one tongue becomes superimposed on thetrailing pair of holes 48 in the adjacent tongue, the leading pair andtrailing pair of holes 48 in a given tongue located on opposite sides ofgirder web 22. Joist upper flange 42 may be cut away farther along web40 than is joist lower flange 44 by a distance of approximately one halfthe width of girder upper flange 28 less one half the thickness of webupper portion 24, the resulting edge of flanges 42 and 44 lying inplanes substantially perpendicular to web 40, such that joist tongue 46is inserted into slot 36 until the edge of joist lower flange 44 abutsgirder web 22 and the edge of joist upper flange 42 abuts the side ofgirder upper flange 28. By this means tongues 46 may be extended aconsistent distance into slot 36, thereby aligning holes 48 in each.

[0055] As shown, pin 50 may be of circular cross section and formed froma rod of compliant metal, such as aluminum or soft steel. Pin 50 isconfigured to provide central portion 52 having a length matching thedistance between vertically aligned holes 48, from which extendperpendicularly thereto and in the same direction short leg 54 and longleg 56, best seen in FIG. 3A. Referring in sequence to FIGS. 3A-3C, pin50 is inserted through aligned holes 48 on each side of girder web 22such than central portion 52 lies alongside one of tongues 46, withshort leg 54 and long leg 56 extending through aligned holes 48 (FIG.3B). Short leg 54 and long leg 56 are bent towards each other using anappropriate, common tool such as a hammer. Pin 50 hence preventsrelative movement of opposing joists 38 and positively interconnectsthem with girder 20, ensuring joists 38 do not come out of positionduring assembly of the floor joist system. Attachment of the subfloor tothe upper flange surfaces of joists 38 and girder 20, discussed below,will permanently maintain the position of each joist. The use of pin 50is but one way of maintaining the position of the joists duringassembly; other suitable means are contemplated as being within thescope of the present invention. It should be noted that interconnectingjoists 38 by the use of pins 50 or other suitable means is not anecessary aspect of practicing the present invention. Interconnectingthe joist tongues with pins as discussed above serves primarily toensure joists 38 do not fall out of engagement with girder 20 duringassembly of the floor joist system, providing an extra measure of safetyfor the workers. Once joists 38 have been fitted into an anchored girderand are themselves anchored to the sidewall of the building orfoundation, or fitted between adjacent, anchored girders, they would berestrained from such accidental disengagement despite a lack of pins 50.

[0056] The ends of joists 38 which do not overlappingly engage anotherjoist within girder slot 36 are supported by side walls 62 of thebuilding or its foundation, depending upon whether multiples stories areaccommodated, and are spaced therealong equidistantly, and maintain aperpendicular relationship between joist 38 and girder 20. Side walls 62may form a perimeter around the building or its foundation. Below lowerjoist flange 44, and attached to top surface 61 of foundation side walls62, is mud sill 74. Mud sill 74 extends along the inner perimeter ofside wall top 61 is attached thereto in a known way, such as by nuts 78threaded onto bolts 80 which are embedded in wall 62, are spaced atspecified distances along top 61, and extend vertically through a holein mud sill 74, as shown in FIG. 7A. Mud sill 74 may be a plurality ofcommon 2 inch by 4 inch or 6 inch board or, where a 6 inch tall joist 38is used with a 12 inch tall girder 20, a 4 inch by 4 inch wooden beam.As shown in FIGS. 6A-7B, rim joists 76, which may be a plurality of 2inch by 10 inch boards, may extend around the perimeter of the buildingwall or foundation and are attached to mud sill 74 by nails or screws(not shown), closing off the uppermost interior of the below room fromthe exterior of the building.

[0057] The ends of joists 38 supported by side wall 62 rest atop mudsill 74 and may be prevented from moving therealong by being bolted torim joist 76 through angled brackets 82, as shown in FIG. 7A or,alternatively, by disposing blocks 84 between adjacent joists 38, asshown in FIG. 7B, the ends of blocks 84 abutting webs 40 of the joists.Blocks 84 are disposed above mud sill 74 and prevent movement of joists38 therealong by at least one of blocks being fastened to wall 62 bybolt 80 a, which extends through aligned holes in mud sill 74 and block84. Nut 78 and bolt 80 a hold fastened block 84 in place; the otherblocks are restrained from moving longitudinally by joist webs 40.Blocks 84 may also be further secured by being nailed to mud sill 74. Itis preferable that the end of joist 38 which rests upon mud sill 74 doso upon its lower flange 44. Therefore, joists 38 which extend betweenside wall 62 and girder 20 may be preformed with tongue 46 at only oneend thereof, and joists 38 which extend between adjacent girders 20 maybe preformed with tongues 46 at both ends thereof. Alternatively, onejoist design having tongue 46 at each end may be used, with tongue 46cut off of the end of the joist which is supported by side wall 62 asrequired. As seen in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 8, pockets 65 formed in adjacentside walls 62 support the ends of girder 20, the pockets providing asupporting surface 63 disposed below the top 61 of side wall 62 toaccommodate the greater depth of girder 20 vis-a-vis joist 38, thuskeeping girder upper flange surface 29 and joist upper flange surface 43at a common level. The distance from the top of mud sill 74 tosupporting pocket surface 63 is therefore equivalent to the differencein height between girder 20 and joist 38. Slot 36 is also verticallypositioned such that when girder 20 and joist 38 are assembled, girderupper flange surface 29 and joist upper flange surface 43 lie in acommon plane. As best seen in FIG. 8, web 22 of girder 20 is sandwichedbetween ends of the board comprising mud sill 74. Abutting the ends ofmud sill 74 boards against web 22 further stabilizes girder 20 againstfalling over and, where pocket 65 is substantially wider than lowergirder flange 30, positively positions girder 20 transversely.

[0058] Where the above-described floor joist system embodiment isadapted to residential construction, the 8 inch high I-beam joists 38spaced 32 inches on center may extend up to approximately 20 feet. Inthis case, therefore, pockets 65 provided in side walls 62 for girders20 may be spaced at approximately 20 foot intervals from the adjacentside walls which support an end of a joist 38. To simplify assemblywhere joists 38 are to be fitted between two girders 20, the tongues 46at the commonly oriented joist ends should be engaged into their matingslots 36 in the first girder before the second girder is moved into itsfinal position. Girders 20 adapted to such use as described above mayspan up to approximately 18 feet between side walls or intermediatesupport columns 64 (FIG. 6A). Abutting or adjacently aligned girders 20may be joined as shown in FIG. 4, where the adjacent ends of girders 20have a series of splice holes 66, which may be preformed at both or onlyone end of each girder 20 or which may be drilled or otherwise formed insitu during construction. Splice plates 68, preferably formed of platesteel and having two sets of holes 70 arranged to match holes 66, aredisposed on both sides of webs 22 of the adjacent girders 20 andfastened together through holes 66, 70 with bolts 72 and nuts (notshown). Support column 64 should be placed beneath a spliced girderjoint to ensure the integrity of the floor joist system.

[0059] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, subfloor 58 is applied to the uppersurfaces of the inventive joist system. Subfloor 58 may be woodenplyboard or wooden particle board, as discussed above, or may comprisecorrugated sheets of steel upon which concrete is poured. Generally, thelatter type of floor is used in larger commercial building constructionand may require girders 20 and joists 38 of somewhat larger size thandescribed above, although such construction is to be considered withinthe scope of the present invention. Subfloor 58 is applied to this floorjoist system embodiment in commonly known ways. Generally, adhesive isfirst applied to upper flange surfaces 29 and 43 of girders 20 andjoists 38, respectively, and the subfloor is then laid. Rather thanusing nails, however, drill point screws (not shown) are driven throughthe subfloor and into surfaces 29 and 43. Attachment of subfloor 58 togirders 20 and joists 38 permanently restricts movement of these beams.FIG. 9 shows an assembled floor joist system according to one embodimentof the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that the above-described floor joist system may also beadapted to support a roof having decking comprised of sheet materialsimilar to that used for subflooring 58. In such case, the joists serveas roof rafters.

[0060] Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown a second embodiment ofthe present invention by which customary fastening means, rather thandrill point screws, may be used for attaching flooring to the floorjoist system, thereby relatively decreasing the time and costsassociated with floor installation. Such customary fastening meansinclude nails which pierce the subflooring 58 and the underlying joist,and which may be of the ordinary type which are driven by a hand-heldhammer, or of a type which are driven by a pneumatic nail gun. Those ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above-described floorjoist system may also be adapted to support a roof having deckingcomprised of sheet material similar to that used for subflooring 58. Insuch case, the joists serve as roof rafters.

[0061] Depicted girder assembly 86 of the second embodiment floor joistsystem comprises girder 20 a, which may be identical to girder 20 of thefirst embodiment, and flooring attachment element 88 attached to itsupper flange surface 29. It is important to note that girder 20 a of thesecond embodiment need not be identical to girder 20, or interconnectwith its associated joists in the manner above-described. Indeed, afloor joist system according to the second embodiment need not comprisea floor joist system according to the first embodiment, although commonelements are discussed below and depicted in the accompanying drawingfor illustrative purposes.

[0062] Flooring attachment element 88 is made of a material such aswooden plyboard or particle board, thereby obviating the need for drillpoint screws as used in the first embodiment and allowing subflooring 58to be attached to girder assembly 86 by conventional fastening means,e.g., by nailing, particularly with a pneumatic nail gun, therebyproviding the advantage vis-a-vis the floor joist system of the firstembodiment of allowing ordinary and customary carpenters' tools andmethods to be used in installing the floor, whereby the installationlabor and fastener costs may be reduced.

[0063] Element 88 is of sufficient thickness to accommodate the depthrequired for fastening floor 58 thereto by conventional fastening meansused by carpenters, e.g., with ordinary or pneumatically-driven nails90. For example, element 88 may be made from ¾ inch plyboard. Element 88is cut to substantially match the size and shape of upper flange surface29 of girder 20 a, and may be attached thereto with an appropriateadhesive, such as exterior construction glue, which is well-known in theconstruction industry. Element 88 may also comprise a plurality ofshorter abutting pieces distributed along surface 29. Additionally, oralternatively, element 88 may be attached to girder 20 a by means ofU-shaped fasteners 92, one of which is shown in FIGS. 11A-11C. Eachfastener 92 is made of a flat metal strip, such as, for example,galvanized or zinc-plated steel, which may be 16 or 14 gauge thickness.Fastener 92 has first 94 and second 96 legs interconnected byintermediate portion 98. One embodiment of fastener 92 is approximately¾ inch wide, side-to-side, and wherein leg 94 has a length extendingbetween its terminal end 100 and intermediate portion 98 ofapproximately ¾ inch, leg 96 has a length extending between its terminalend 102 and intermediate portion 98 of approximately 1 inch, andintermediate portion 98 has a depth between legs 94, 96 of approximately½ inch. Terminal end 100 of first leg 94 has sharp serrations providedtherein to allow fastener 92 to easily penetrate side surface 104 or 106of element 88. Fasteners 92 are provided at 12 inch increments along thelength of girder assembly 86, alternatively attached therealong instaggered fashion to side surfaces 104, 106. Second leg 96 of eachfastener 92 is slidably engaged with underside surface 108 of upperflange 28. The thickness of flange 28 continuously increases slightlyfrom its lateral sides towards web 22, causing leg 96 to resilientlyflex away from leg 94 as terminal end 102 of leg 96 slides alongunderside surface 108 of flange 28 towards web 22, thereby increasingthe clamping force between element 88 and girder 20 a as leg 94increasingly penetrates side surface 104 or 106.

[0064] Similarly, depicted joist assembly 110 of the second embodimentcomprises joist 38 a, which may or may not be identical to joist 38 ofthe first embodiment, and flooring attachment element 112 attached toits upper surface 43. Here, too, flooring attachment element 112 is madeof a material such as, for example, wooden plyboard or particle board,which is considerably softer and more readily pierced than joist 38 a,thereby allowing flooring 58 to be attached to joist assembly 110 byconventional fastening means.

[0065] In the depicted embodiment, upper surfaces 29 and 43 of girder 20a and joist 38 a, respectively, are coplanar, as in the firstembodiment. Element 112 is therefore identical in thickness to element88, thereby maintaining a plurality of coplanar grid surfaces to whichflooring 58 is attached. As described above regarding element 88,element 112 may be made from ¾ inch wooden plyboard or particle board,cut to substantially match the size and shape of upper flange surface 43of joist 38 a, and is similarly attached thereto with fasteners 92and/or adhesive. Element 112 may also comprise a plurality of shorter,abutting pieces distributed along surface 43. As in the case of girderassembly 86, joist assembly 110 has its fasteners 92 placed in staggeredfashion between opposite lateral sides of element 112, and placed at 12inch increments along each side. Also, as described above with respectto girder 20 a, the thickness of upper flange 42 of joist 38 acontinuously increases slightly from its lateral sides towards web 40(FIG. 13A), thus increasing the clamping force between element 112 andjoist 38 a as leg 94 increasingly penetrates a lateral side surface offlooring attachment element 112.

[0066] Referring now to FIG. 12, it can be seen that flooring 58 issupported by the upper surfaces of flanges 28 and 42 of girder 20 a andjoists 38 a, respectively, through their respective individual flooringattachment elements 88, 112 attached thereto. Flooring attachmentelements 88, 112 are substantially incompressible, and therefore providefirm support for overlying subfloor 58 anchored thereto, and fix thedistance between the opposed surfaces of the flooring and the girder andjoists. Notably, vis-a-vis the first embodiment floor joist system, acorresponding increase in height accompanies the addition of theflooring attachment elements to the upper surfaces of girders 20 a andjoists 38 a, if they are identical in height to girders 20 and joists38. The elevation at which flooring 58 is located may be maintainedbetween the first and second embodiments by appropriately selectinggirders and joists 20 a, 38 a which are respectively shorter thangirders and joists 20, 38, thereby maintaining a common height betweengirder 20 of the first embodiment and girder assembly 86 of the secondembodiment, and likewise between joist 38 and joist assembly 110. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize other methods of so maintaining acommon floor elevation between the first and second embodiments of thepresent invention should such a need arise.

[0067] Should girders 20, 20 a and joists 38, 38 a be respectivelyidentical in height, a floor joist system according to the secondembodiment may use ¾ inch taller rim joist 76 a (FIG. 13, 14) in lieu ofinch shorter rim joist 76 (FIG. 6, 7).

[0068] Referring now to FIG. 15 there is shown a third embodiment of thepresent invention. As shown, the this ceiling attachment system, likethe above-described floor joist system of the second embodiment,includes flooring attachment elements 88 and 112 attached to the upperflanges of the girders and joists. Girder 20 a is provided with sheetmaterial attachment element 114 attached to its downwardly facing lowerflange lower surface 31. Sheet material attachment element 114 may beidentical to attachment element 88, and is attached to the lower flangeof the girder by means of adhesive and/or fasteners 92 as describedabove. Joist 38 b differs from above-described joist 38 a in that itsheight is substantially equivalent to the height of girder 20 a. Asshown, girder 38 b comprises a plurality of truss rods 118 which extendbetween its upper and lower flanges to form its web, rather than havinga web formed integrally with the flanges. A plurality of sheet materialattachment elements 116 are attached to downwardly facing surface 45 ofthe lower flange of joists 38 b by means of adhesive and/or fasteners 92as described above. The lowermost surfaces of sheet material attachmentelements 114 and 116 are co-planer and substantially horizontal.

[0069] Ceiling panels 120, which may be plaster wall board, are attachedto the sheet material attachment elements 114, 116 by means of screws122. Sheet material attachment elements 114, 116 are substantiallyincompressible, and therefore provide firm support for the underlyingceiling panel 120 which is anchored thereto, and fix the distancebetween the opposed surfaces of the ceiling panel and the girder andjoists. Sheet material attachment elements 114 and 116 may berespectively identical to flooring attachment elements 88, 112 and are,for example, wooden plyboard or wooden particle board.

[0070] As clearly shown in FIG. 15, there is provided clearance andopenings for ductwork, piping and/or wiring (not shown) to be routedbetween subflooring 58 and ceiling panel 128 through the openings in thecastellated girder and the space between truss rods 118 of the joists.

[0071] As noted above, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognizethat the third embodiment of the present invention may provide a eithera floor joist system (as shown) or a roof support system, in which thejoists serve as roof rafters. The latter system includes roof deckingcomprised of sheet material similar to that used for subflooring 58. Asshown in FIG. 16, in embodiments of a roof support system according tothe present invention, roofing material 124 overlies the upper surfaceof roof decking sheet material 58. Roofing material 124 may comprise,for example shingles or any other suitable, conventional material usedfor roofing.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 17, there is shown a first wall panelattachment system according to a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention. This wall panel attachment system is adapted to a vertical,load-bearing column 130 which extends from the floor to, for example, anoverhead girder for supporting the latter. Column 130 comprises steel Ibeam 132 which has web 134 extending between its parallel flanges 136and 138, respectively provided with outer surfaces 140 and 142.Extending along, and attached to flange surfaces 140 and 142, by meansof adhesive and/or fasteners 92 as described above, are elongate sheetmaterial attachment elements 144 and 146. Sheet material elements 144and 146 may be identical, and made of wooden plyboard or wooden particleboard.

[0073] Sheet material attachment elements 144 and 146 are each providedwith lateral surfaces 148 which are aligned with the lateral edges offlanges 136, 138 and into which first legs 94 fasteners 92 are driven inthe manner discussed above. Fasteners 92 also engage the inner, opposedsurfaces of flanges 136 and 138 as shown in FIG. 17 to retain the sheetmaterial attachment elements to the flanges in the manner describedabove. Sheet material attachment elements 144 and 146 each provideoutwardly facing surfaces 150. A plurality of wall panel or sheetmaterial pieces 152 a-d, which may be made of plaster wall board orwooden paneling, are arranged about I beam 132 and sheet materialelements 144, 146 as shown, to define the outer surface of column 130and encase the I beam. Sheet material pieces 152 a-d are anchored to thesheet material attachment elements by means of screws 122. The outersurface of column 130 may then be finished in any conventional manner toprovide a more finished appearance to the room in which column 130 islocated. Sheet material attachment elements 144 and 146 aresubstantially incompressible, therefore providing firm support tooverlying sheet material anchored thereto and fix the respectivedistances between flange surfaces 140, 142 and the opposed surfaces ofsheet material pieces 152 a and 152 b.

[0074]FIG. 18 shows a second wall panel attachment system according to afifth embodiment of the present invention. Wall 160 comprises aplurality of vertically extending studs 162 which are comprised ofhorizontally spaced I beams 163 each having opposite flanges and a webextending therebetween. Attached to the outer face of each I beamflange, and extending therealong, is elongate sheet material attachmentelement 164, which may be wooden plyboard or wooden particle board. Asdescribed above, these sheet material attachment elements aresubstantially incompressible, and therefore provide firm support forwall panels 166 and 168 which are anchored thereto by means of screws122. Further, the incompressible sheet material attachment elements fixthe distance between the opposed I beam flange and the wall panelsurfaces. Wall panels 166 and 168 may both be interior wall panels,substantially similar or substantially different in composition.Alternatively, one of wall panels 166 and 168 may be an interior wallpanel and the other an exterior wall panel. Sheet material suitable foran interior wall panel includes, for example, plaster wall board or woodpaneling. Sheet material suitable for an exterior wall panel, may besubstantially different than that used for interior wall panels, andincludes, for example, wooden plyboard or wooden particle board. In themanner described above, sheet material attachment elements 164 may beaffixed to the flanges of I beams 163 by means of adhesive and/orfasteners 92 in the manner described above. Wall panels 166, 168 may beanchored to elements 164 by means of screws 122 or nails (not shown).

[0075] While this invention has been described as having an exemplarydesigns, the present invention can be further modified within the spiritand scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended tocover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using itsgeneral principles. Further, this application is intended to cover suchdepartures from the present disclosure as come within known or customarypractice in the art to which this invention pertains.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sheet material attachment system comprising: atleast one longitudinal beam having a web, and at least one flange havingfirst and second opposite sides, said web extending from said flangesecond side; a sheet material attachment element overlying said flangefirst side, said sheet material attachment element having a hardnesswhich is less than the hardness of said flange; at least one fastener,said sheet material attachment element attached to said beam by saidfastener, said fastener being substantially U-shaped and having a firstleg which engages a side of said sheet material attachment element and asecond leg which engages said flange second side; and a piece of sheetmaterial anchored to said sheet material attachment element.
 2. Thesheet material attachment system of claim 1, wherein said beam ismetallic, and said sheet material attachment element is nonmetallic. 3.The sheet material attachment system of claim 2, wherein said beam issteel, and said sheet material attachment element is wooden.
 4. Thesheet material attachment system of claim 3, wherein said sheet materialattachment element is plyboard.
 5. The sheet material attachment systemof claim 1, wherein said beam is substantially vertically-oriented. 6.The sheet material attachment system of claim 5, wherein said beam is awall stud.
 7. The sheet material attachment system of claim 6, whereinsaid piece of sheet material is a wall panel.
 8. The sheet materialattachment system of claim 7, wherein said wall panel is plaster wallboard.
 9. The sheet material attachment system of claim 7, wherein saidwall panel is wooden.
 10. The sheet material attachment system of claim6, wherein said flange is a first flange, said sheet material attachmentelement is a first sheet material attachment element, said piece ofsheet material is a first piece of sheet material, said fastener is afirst said fastener, and said stud has a second flange having first andsecond opposite sides, said web extending between said second sides ofsaid first and second flanges, and further comprising a second sheetmaterial attachment element overlying said second flange first side andattached to said stud by a second said fastener, and a second piece ofsheet material anchored to said second sheet material attachment. 11.The sheet material attachment system of claim 10, wherein said first andsecond pieces of sheet material are substantially identical incomposition.
 12. The sheet material attachment system of claim 10,wherein said first and second pieces of sheet material are substantiallydifferent in composition.
 13. The sheet material attachment system ofclaim 5, wherein said beam is a support column.
 14. The sheet materialattachment system of claim 13, wherein said column is at least partiallyencased by a plurality of pieces of said sheet material.
 15. The sheetmaterial attachment system of claim 14, wherein said flange is a firstflange, said sheet material attachment element is a first sheet materialattachment element, said fastener is a first said fastener, and saidcolumn has a second flange having first and second opposite sides, saidweb extending between said second sides of said first and secondflanges, and further comprising a second sheet material attachmentelement overlying said second flange first side and attached to saidcolumn by a second said fastener, each piece of said plurality of piecesof said sheet material anchored to a said sheet material attachmentelement.
 16. The sheet material attachment system of claim 1, whereinsaid piece of sheet material is a ceiling panel.
 17. The sheet materialattachment system of claim 16, wherein said beam is substantiallyhorizontally-oriented.
 18. The sheet material attachment system of claim16, wherein said ceiling panel is plaster wall board.
 19. The sheetmaterial attachment system of claim 16, wherein said beam is one of afloor joist and a roof rafter, said flange first side being downwardlyfacing.
 20. The sheet material attachment system of claim 19, whereinsaid floor joist or roof rafter has a second flange having first andsecond opposite sides, said second flange first side being upwardlyfacing, said web extending between said second sides of said flanges,and further comprising a said sheet material attachment elementoverlying said second flange first side and attached to said floor joistor roof rafter by at least one said fastener, and one of flooring androof decking material respectively anchored to the said sheet materialattachment element which overlies said floor joist or roof rafter secondflange first side.
 21. The sheet material attachment system of claim 16,wherein said flange is a first flange, said fastener is a first saidfastener, and said beam has a second flange having first and secondopposite sides, said web extending between said second sides of saidfirst and second flanges, and further comprising a second sheet materialattachment element overlying said second flange first side and attachedto said beam by a second said fastener, and one of flooring and a roofdeck anchored to said second sheet material attachment element.
 22. Thesheet material attachment system of claim 1, wherein the distancebetween said piece of sheet material and said flange first side issubstantially fixed by said sheet material attachment element.
 23. Thesheet material attachment system of claim 22, wherein said sheetmaterial attachment element is substantially incompressible.
 24. Aceiling panel attachment system comprising: a plurality of nonverticalbeams each having a lower surface, said beam lower surfaces beingsubstantially coplanar; a plurality of individual ceiling panelattachment elements fixed to said beam lower surfaces, said ceilingpanel attachment elements having a hardness which is less than thehardness of said beam lower surfaces; and at least one ceiling panelsuspended from said beams through their respective ceiling panelattachment elements, said ceiling panel being anchored to said ceilingattachment elements.
 25. The ceiling panel attachment system of claim24, wherein said ceiling panel is substantially horizontal.
 26. Theceiling panel attachment system of claim 25, wherein at least one ofsaid beams is one of a floor joist and a roof rafter.
 27. The ceilingpanel attachment system of claim 24, wherein a said individual ceilingattachment element is elongate and extends along the said lower surfaceto which that said individual ceiling attachment element is attached.28. The ceiling panel attachment system of claim 24, wherein a saidindividual ceiling panel attachment element is attached to one of saidbeams by means of a fastener, said fastener being substantiallyU-shaped, said fastener having a first leg which engages a side of saidceiling panel attachment element, and a second leg which engages asurface of said one of said beams.
 29. A wall panel attachment systemcomprising: a least one nonhorizontal beam having a surface; at leastone wall panel attachment element fixed to said beam surface, said wallpanel attachment element having a hardness which is less than thehardness of said beam surface; and at least one wall panel supported bysaid beam through its wall panel attachment element, said wall panelbeing anchored to said wall panel attachment element.
 30. The wall panelattachment system of claim 29, wherein said wall panel is substantiallyvertical.
 31. The wall panel attachment system of claim 30, wherein saidbeam is a wall stud, and further comprising a plurality of said wallstuds, each of said plurality of wall studs has a said surface, saidwall stud surfaces being substantially coplanar, and a said wall panelattachment element is fixed to each said wall stud surface.
 32. The wallpanel attachment system of claim 31, wherein each of said plurality ofstuds has a second surface located opposite its said surface, said wallstud second surfaces being substantially coplanar, and a said wall panelattachment element is fixed to the said second surface of each of saidplurality of studs, said plurality of studs being disposed between twosaid wall panels, each said wall panel being anchored to a said wallpanel attachment element.
 33. The wall panel attachment system of claim32, wherein said two wall panels between which said studs are disposedare substantially identical in composition.
 34. The wall panelattachment system of claim 32, wherein said two wall panels betweenwhich said studs are disposed are substantially different incomposition.
 35. The wall panel attachment system of claim 29, whereinsaid beam is a column having a second surface located opposite its saidsurface, and further comprising a wall panel attachment element fixed tosaid second surface, said column at least partially encased by aplurality of said wall panels, each of said plurality of wall panelsbeing anchored to one of said wall panel attachment elements.
 36. Thewall panel attachment system of claim 29, wherein said wall panel isplaster wall board.
 37. The wall panel attachment system of claim 29,wherein said wall panel attachment element is elongate and extends alongsaid beam surface.
 38. The wall panel attachment system of claim 29,wherein said wall panel attachment element is attached to said beam bymeans of a fastener, said fastener being substantially U-shaped, saidfastener having a first leg which engages a side of said wall panelattachment element, and a second leg which engages a surface of saidbeam.